Method and apparatus for generating and printing a security stamp with custom logo on an electrophotographic printer

Abstract

An improved electrophotographic printer is provided for generating a security stamp in firmware, and printing that security stamp to create documents that have a visible and tactile logo that is automatically printed on each page of a print job. The firmware will automatically create the proper bitmap of the security logo for a page's print resolution and bit depth. Using a color laser printer, the security stamp can be printed using all of the process colors, such as CMYK, which would be rendered and printed at 400% toner coverage. This gives the security stamp a very dark visible appearance and a thick tactile texture. The security stamp can include an area for printing a serial number of the printer, and for printing a time and date stamp.

1 . A method for printing a security stamp using an image forming apparatus, said method comprising: 
 (a) providing an image forming apparatus having a memory circuit for storage of data, a communications port, and a processing circuit;    (b) storing at least one security stamp bitmap in said memory circuit;    (c) upon receiving a print job through said communications port, rendering a page of said print job, and selecting one of said at least one security stamp bitmap; and    (d) printing said page with the selected one of said at least one security stamp bitmap.    
   
   
       2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said selected one of said at least one security stamp bitmap corresponds to at least one of (i) a print resolution and (ii) a bit depth of said page.  
   
   
       3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said image forming apparatus comprises a color electrophotographic printer; and further comprising the steps of: (e) rendering said selected one of said at least one security stamp bitmap in at least two colors; (f) printing said selected one of said at least one security stamp bitmap in a first of said at least two colors at a predetermined location; and (g) printing said selected one of said at least one security stamp bitmap in at least a second of said at least two colors at the same predetermined location, thereby creating a dark and tactile printed security stamp on said page.  
   
   
       4 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said at least two colors comprises four different colors, and the step of printing said selected one of said at least one security stamp bitmap at the same predetermined location comprises printing all four colors, thereby printing said at least one security stamp bitmap at 400% toner coverage.  
   
   
       5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: (e) determining identifying information relating to said image forming apparatus, and (f) printing said identifying information upon said page at a predetermined location proximal to said at least one security stamp bitmap.  
   
   
       6 . The method as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising the step of: (g) automatically reading said identifying information as a serial number of said image forming apparatus.  
   
   
       7 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: (e) determining time and date information, and (f) printing said time and date information upon said page at a predetermined location proximal to said at least one security stamp bitmap.  
   
   
       8 . The method as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising the step of: (g) determining a correct time zone in which said image forming apparatus is located.  
   
   
       9 . A method for printing a security stamp using an image forming apparatus, said method comprising: 
 (a) providing an image forming apparatus having a memory circuit for storage of data, a communications port, and a processing circuit;    (b) receiving security stamp image information through said communications port, and storing said security stamp image information in said memory circuit;    (c) generating at least one security stamp bitmap representation of said security stamp image information;    (d) receiving a print job through said communications port, rendering a page of said print job, and selecting an appropriate one of said at least one security stamp bitmap based upon at least one of said page's (i) print resolution, and (ii) bit depth; and    (e) printing said page with the selected one of said at least one security stamp bitmap.    
   
   
       10 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of: (f) determining identifying information relating to said image forming apparatus, and (g) printing said identifying information upon said page at a predetermined location proximal to said at least one security stamp bitmap.  
   
   
       11 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of: (f) determining time and date information, and (g) printing said time and date information upon said page at a predetermined location proximal to said at least one security stamp bitmap.  
   
   
       12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising the step of: (h) determining a correct time zone in which said image forming apparatus is located.  
   
   
       13 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of: (f) providing an external computer having a second memory circuit for storage of data, a second communications port, and a second processing circuit, wherein said second communications port is in communication with the first communications port of said image forming apparatus; (g) at said external computer: generating a user-defined logo, embedding said user-defined logo in a predetermined type of print job, and sending said predetermined type of print job to said image forming apparatus; (h) at said image forming apparatus: receiving said predetermined type of print job, parsing said print job to determine said user-defined logo, storing said user-defined logo in the first memory circuit of said image forming apparatus, and thereafter using said user-defined logo for said security stamp image information.  
   
   
       14 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising the step of: upon the step of storing the user-defined logo in said first memory circuit: (i) reporting a status of the storing operation to said external computer.  
   
   
       15 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of: upon the step of storing the user-defined logo in said first memory circuit: (i) rendering said user-defined logo as a scaled bitmap for at least one print resolution and bit depth; and (j) rendering a serial number, if available, as a scaled bitmap for at least one print resolution and bit depth.  
   
   
       16 . An image forming apparatus, comprising: 
 a memory circuit for storage of data; a communications port that is effectively connected to said memory circuit and which can be effectively connected to at least one external device, and capable of transferring data therebetween; a processing circuit that is configured to control the flow of data between said memory circuit and said communications port; and a print engine that produces a physical output upon a print media under control of said processing circuit;    wherein said processing circuit is configured: (a) to store at least one security stamp bitmap in said memory circuit; (b) upon receiving a print job through said communications port, to render a page of said print job; (c) to select one of said at least one security stamp bitmap; and (d) using said print engine, to print said page with the selected one of said at least one security stamp bitmap.    
   
   
       17 . The image forming apparatus as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said selected one of said at least one security stamp bitmap corresponds to at least one of: (i) a print resolution, and (ii) a bit depth of said page.  
   
   
       18 . The image forming apparatus as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said image forming apparatus comprises a color electrophotographic printer; and wherein said processing circuit is further configured: (e) to render said selected one of said at least one security stamp bitmap in at least two colors; (f) using said print engine, to print said selected one of said at least one security stamp bitmap in a first of said at least two colors at a predetermined location; and (g) using said print engine, to print said selected one of said at least one security stamp bitmap in at least a second of said at least two colors at the same predetermined location, thereby creating a dark and tactile printed security stamp on said page.  
   
   
       19 . The image forming apparatus as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said at least two colors comprises four different colors, and wherein the selected one of said at least one security stamp bitmap uses all four colors, thereby producing said at least one security stamp bitmap at 400% toner coverage.  
   
   
       20 . The image forming apparatus as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said processing circuit is further configured: (e) to determine identifying information relating to said image forming apparatus, and (f) using said print engine, to print said identifying information upon said page at a predetermined location proximal to said at least one security stamp bitmap.  
   
   
       21 . The image forming apparatus as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said processing circuit is further configured: (g) to automatically read said identifying information as a serial number of said image forming apparatus.  
   
   
       22 . The image forming apparatus as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said processing circuit is further configured: (e) to determine time and date information, and (f) using said print engine, to print said time and date information upon said page at a predetermined location proximal to said at least one security stamp bitmap.  
   
   
       23 . The image forming apparatus as recited in  claim 22 , wherein said processing circuit is further configured: (g) to determine a correct time zone in which said image forming apparatus is located.  
   
   
       24 . The image forming apparatus as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising: an external computer that includes a second memory circuit for storage of data, a second communications port, and a second processing circuit, wherein said second communications port is in communication with the first communications port of said image forming apparatus; 
 wherein said processing circuit of said image forming apparatus is further configured: (e) to receive security stamp image information through said communications port; (f) to store said security stamp image information in said memory circuit of said image forming apparatus; and (g) to generate at least one security stamp bitmap representation of said security stamp image information;    
   
   
       25 . The image forming apparatus as recited in  claim 24 , 
 wherein said second processing circuit is configured: to generate a user-defined logo, embed said user-defined logo in a predetermined type of print job, and send said predetermined type of print job to said image forming apparatus through said second communications port; and    wherein said processing circuit of said image forming apparatus is further configured: to receive said predetermined type of print job, parse said print job to determine said user-defined logo, store said user-defined logo in the first memory circuit of said image forming apparatus, and thereafter use said user-defined logo for said security stamp image information.    
   
   
       26 . The image forming apparatus as recited in  claim 25 , wherein, after storing the user-defined logo in said first memory circuit, said processing circuit of said image forming apparatus is further configured: to report a status of the storing operation to said external computer, through said first communications port.  
   
   
       27 . The image forming apparatus as recited in  claim 25 , wherein, after storing the user-defined logo in said first memory circuit, said processing circuit of said image forming apparatus is further configured: to render said user-defined logo as a scaled bitmap for at least one print resolution and bit depth; and to render a serial number, if available, as a scaled bitmap for at least one print resolution and bit depth.  
   
   
       28 . The image forming apparatus as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said processing circuit is further configured to render said user-defined logo as a scaled bitmap without undergoing a reset of said image forming apparatus.